18 Ways to Show Kindness

2018 is here and we are hoping that January has found you healthy and inspired! We love the New Year - it is filled with such promise and is such an awesome time to set the tone for what you want to get and give from the coming months.

In the spirit of living your best life, we put together 18 ways (2018..get it?) that you can help show kindness this year.

1. Write (as in hand write) notes to your immediate family telling them what you love about them. We too often neglect those closest to us & everyone needs to hear those affirming words from the people that know them best.

2. Make dinner for a neighbor. (Bonus points: if they have kids, offer to have their children at your house so they can enjoy a nice dinner in together!)

3. Write a letter of thanks to a soldier overseas. Bonus points: Get your friends, coworkers, or small groups to join in too!

4. Bake some cookies and give them to a few hard working people that serve you in some recurring capacity - teachers, UPS delivery guy or gal (all you Amazon Prime-ers.. I’m looking at you), pastors, etc.

5. Use that social media stalking for good! Instead of just scrolling when you are laying in bed at night, take a second to comment some nice things on every (ok, ok...most) pictures that pop up.

6. Send a text to the first 5 people you think of after reading this. Something as easy as, “Just thinking of you!” has the power to change someone’s day.

7. Oldie but a goodie: pay for the person behind you in line.

8. Hop on to Go Fund Me and browse all the campaigns. Choose 1 (or a few) that really speak to you and donate what you can.

9. Let ‘your person’(spouse, roommates, children)know that you love them. Cut out 10 (or more) hearts on construction paper, write things you love about them on them, and hang them up in the bathroom while they are sleeping. What a great way to start their morning!

10. Train your brain against hate. You know that one person that just gets to you? The one who makes you feel like this…

... Every time that you start to think about their brutal tendencies, stop and tell yourself something nice about them. It might be hard at first, but you can start with tiny things, literally like “One day they wore black jeans and I like black jeans.” Training yourself to let go of that negative energy will only help you in the long run!

11. Pack some Blessing Bags to keep in your car to hand out to homeless people you come across.

12. Call your parents! (Or Grandparents, or Aunt…)

13. Throw a post-it pad in your bag on the way to your next doctor's appointment. Write quick encouraging notes while you are waiting and stick them in the magazines in the waiting room.

16. Double (or triple or quadruple)whatever tip you usually leave your waiter. Write a sweet note on the receipt to go with it, maybe mentioning something personal or a way they impressed you. Everyone loves to hear positive details about themselves!

17. Hold a door for someone every time you can in a day & compliment them on first thing that comes to mind

18. Make a list of the top 10 things you love about yourself. Because you need to be kind to yourself first!!

What are some of the ways you like to spread kindness? Leave yours in the comments below!!